Ruminations

"Come in, come in." Dumbledore beckon when he saw both Hermione and Harry hesitate at the entrance to his office.

On returning to his office he had summoned a house-elf to serve lunch for three which was ready and waiting for their arrival.

He had also had a quick conversation with Severus which had yield three drops of veritaserum in both teen's drink, against his better judgment, but Severus was right…they needed answers and if he was going to get any truth today he had to do this…for the greater good.

Harry and Hermione had both examined the Headmaster's office upon entry.

It looked the same as before, with the exception of the now familiar drapes that were drawn closed and the absence of the noise from the numerous gadgets that the Headmaster had.

One could only guess where those had gone.

"I trust you had no problem getting here?" Dumbledore continued, making a small note to ask after they had eaten how they had gained access from the gargoyle guards without the password.

"Sit and eat, we will have time to talk afterwards."

Both teens looked at the amount of food that was in front of them.

Harry did not realized how hungry he really was until he saw the food which had now completely captivated his attention from the welcoming feeling he felt when he had entered the room.

He felt as if this was his home.

Lunch had been a quite affair with Dumbledore surreptitiously watching both teens as they consumed their meals.

Harry had just drained the last of his pumpkin juice when he felt a calming sensation washing over him. It had immediately clicked what had happened; Dumbledore had given him truth serum.

Harry's magic flared.

Dumbledore watched with increasing apprehension as Harry's eyes began to glow, intensifying its emerald green to a smoldering glare that was directed squarely at him.

There was a loud crackling noise and gale force wind that pulled loose sheets of paper and small objects into a mini tornado around the room, threatening to completely destroy office.

But just as quickly as the eruption began everything went quite.

Everything that was air borne suddenly stopped mid air, suspended and frozen.

There was no sound; no movement whatsoever, Dumbledore was frozen behind his desk just like the rest of his office except for Harry and Hermione.

"Breathe Harry."

Hermione's almost quiet monotonous instruction caused Harry to inhale harshly, he wasn't even aware that he was holding his breath.

He whipped his head around to look at her, not quite sure what to expect really but he wasn't prepared for the fear exuding from her.

Harry slumped in chair.

He had lost control when he saw Dumbledore's motives and manipulations. He had seen it all when they had locked eyes earlier, all of his over one hundred years, his dreams, aspirations, deceit, love…all for the greater good he claimed.

He knew things that he kept to himself allowing people to die when the information could have saved their lives. Just like he did with my parents Harry thought, and then left me at the Dursley's for protection.

Harry was going to kill him in that moment but the hand of reason, known as Hermione Granger, prevented him.

Harry looked at Hermione, why shouldn't she be scared of me I was going to do exactly what that bastard Riddle has done.

Her hand was still resting on his shoulder anchoring him, as if to prevent him from slipping back into his rage.

Before he could speak she said in that same monotonous voice "You must learn control Harry, your destiny is not to destroy." She shook her head as if coming out of a trance blinking her eyes rapidly.

Taking a closer look at her Harry realized she was channeling!

He hadn't seen it before because he was only focusing on her fear but now he could see it.

Hermione's power was connected to him and because his emotion had spiked to a destructive level at the time, her power must have kicked in to calm him, he theorized.

If he wanted any other proof that he needed her then this was it. He had to tell her now that he loved her, there was no other option for him but her, he knew that now and she would too, soon enough.

He was completely calm and in control, now that he knew that she was the better half of him, the only one who could stop him.

With his new knowledge he mused that the old adage with great power comes great responsibility, was pertinent for him from now on but at least he wasn't alone anymore.

Harry took Hermione's hand standing up and bringing her to her feet as well. The fog that had clouded her mind had lift and she appeared normal again. At the questioning look she gave him Harry turned back to Dumbledore and with a single thought it was as if time reverted and everything returned to the way it was before they had lunch.

Dumbledore startled out of his chair drawing his wand before he realized that there was no longer any need for it. There was nothing out of place and both teens where now standing and staring at him, Harry with a blank unreadable expression and Hermione with a somewhat confused but determined expression.

Dumbledore was more concerned with Harry because the display of magic he had just witnessed was definitely from him but how exactly was he able to do it was still a mystery. Severus was right after all but his methods have just eliminated any chance they had of getting to the truth because Harry obviously knew what was going on and had somehow overcome the truth serum, remarkable.

He wearily watched as Harry and Hermione turned as if to leave, he was about to call them back when Harry stopped and turned back to him and asked the most unlikely question possible.

"Professor, do you know about the prophecy of the King?"

Dumbledore looked shocked at Harry's question. How does he know?

"How do you kno-"

"Just answer the question Professor."

Dumbledore slumped in his chair, the mention of the prophecy making him ignore the commanding tone of Harry's voice. There was in fact a prophecy, a record of it was in every wizarding Ministry throughout the world, and what was strange was that no one knew who wrote the record only that it was there. No one knew exactly what the prophecy said because only those who had been there when the prophecy was given could know it and that was a long…long time ago.

Legend had it that there once was a magical King, this man was the first to have magical powers and was capable to bend magic to his own will, it was also said that he was the one to have taught Merlin, which was why he was so powerful. After Merlin was deemed ready the King had simply vanished and was never heard of again until the prophecy was made that the King would return.

But no one knew who made the prophecy or who it was about. What they knew was only rumors and speculations about a magical King, someone with the power to control all form of magic, someone who could end them all, and if half of what he had heard was true then he feared the worst for the magical world. No one person should have that kind of power, Dumbledore thought.

Dumbledore stood and walked to the closed drapes, moving them aside slightly to permit some air. He was feeling agitated by the scrutiny of the two students awaiting his response. He needed time to think. He had always wondered about the prophecy, for there was many who made false claims professing to be the King. He had even hoped that he was the King so that at least there would have been a good man to be in control of the immense power that was spoken of, but as the years rolled by he knew that he wasn't and his hopes had then been to at least live to see this King, the things he could learn from this person he thought. But over the last eighty years there wasn't any mention of the prophecy, and almost all the remaining wizarding family had seemed to forget about it all together.

So how had Harry come by this information? He grew up in the muggle world and only spent three years in the magical world, if any student was talking about it he would have known from the portraits and Harry was busy with the tournament...unless!

Dumbledore suddenly turned around and looked at Harry "I don't know ho-"

"Professor Dumbledore would you like me to fix the castle?"

The professor's previous indiscretion was forgotten as Harry saw Dumbledore try to make sense of their current conversation. Dumbledore was a strategist, meticulous even to a fault but he was not perfect and his mind had become skewered over the years that he did not even realize that he had crossed the line between dark and light too many time to count.

His conviction of a greater good for all was not bad; it was his means of getting there.

Dumbledore huffed in agitation.

At this point Harry didn't even need to read Dumbledore's mind to know what the man was thinking. Dumbledore was so flustered that his thoughts were practically shouting at Harry.

"Harry what's going on? What's this about prophecy and you fixing the castle?" Hermione asked

But she never got an answer…at least verbally, as there was a slight shake as if the castle had shuddered. Hermione was amazed as she saw the window Dumbledore was standing at began to reform, a noise from the entry way caused her to look around and she saw that the same thing was happening to the door.

Dumbledore could not believe what he was seeing. No one was able to repair Hogwarts, not even him and yet by only speaking the words it's as if Harry had commanded the castle to repair its self.

In practically no time at all the windows and doors were repaired and everything was quite once more.

"It would appear professor that you need some time to think."

The silence that descended after the ethereal sound of Harry's voice was deafening.

Dumbledore stood wide eyed and shocked…speechless at what he had witnessed and the infliction of Harry's tone. Everything was jumbled within his mind, the answer was there but the puzzle was taking a longer time to form the whole picture. Dumbledore looked at Harry and it was as if he was seeing him, really seeing him, for the first time. The enormous explosion of magic, the physical change, the voice…Dumbledore saw it then, he had finally connected the dots, his voice was barely above a whisper as he said "You're the King..." shaking his head "but it doesn't make sense." He mumbled.

He looked at Harry peculiarly, trying to connect the truth he had just discovered with the child standing in front him.

"I would suggest Professor that you address me as Mr. Potter from now on, there will be time for us to converse but for now I wish to first speak with Hermione."

With that Harry took Hermione's hand and they hastily left the office, leaving Dumbledore speechless and more confused than ever before.

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